As the board, which included chairman Peter Higson, ‎chief exec Trevor Purt and exec medical director Prof Matt Makin, were reading through minutes from last month’s meeting, the group quietly took out their bandages, eye patches, signs and crutches and began putting them on, much to the shock of Betsi members.

The subtle plan was masterminded by Tracey Jones, sister of campaign spokesman Mike Evans. She said the aim of the silent protest was to remind the board that they are still there and still fighting for the return of NHS community beds and a minor injuries unit to Flint following the controversial closure of the cottage hospital 18 months ago.

Fellow campaigner Theresa Williams said the group are also still waiting for a “proper” response to October’s local referendum, which saw thousands vote in favour of Betsi bringing back beds to the town.

Theresa said: “We feel they must have forgotten about us as they haven’t answered our questions or the referendum so we thought we’d remind them we are still here and still waiting.

“We don’t want care homes, we want NHS community beds. A lot of people in Flint can’t afford these shiny new care apartments that they’re looking to build - it seems they want people to pay for everything nowadays. There is no NHS in Flint anymore.”

Theresa says Prof Makin came out and spoke to them before the meeting and promised to have a meeting with the campaign group.

She added: “He said they’re listening. If they’re listening why has nothing been done? We have a perfectly good hospital which is going to end up derelict as it’s lying empty and people keep breaking into it.

“It won’t be fit for purpose and the longer it is kept empty, the less chance we have of getting it back.”

The group left the meeting peacefully, but clanging their crutches, around 10 minutes after staging their protest.